Biography
Colleen Bridger, MPH, PhD.
Assistant City Manager
Career
Colleen Bridger, MPH, PhD was appointed Assistant City Manager on July 16, 2019. She has oversight of the Metropolitan Health District, Parks and Recreation, Office of Equity and Department of Human Services. Previously, she was named director of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District in March 2017, where she was responsible for implementing policies and programs aimed at improving the health of the population in San Antonio and Bexar County.
Prior to joining Metro Health, Dr. Bridger was director of the Stokes County (1997-2002), Gaston County (2002 – 2010) and Orange County (2011 – 2017) Health Departments in North Carolina. As Health Director, she tackled tough issues like poverty, transportation and access to care and exceeded community goals for reductions in teen pregnancy and infant mortality rates. Under her leadership, the Health Departments won numerous awards including multiple Ralph Ketner awards for Innovation in Government, and multiple GlaxoSmithKline Child Health Recognition awards.
Prior to becoming a local health director she worked as a social worker for Spanish-only speaking pregnant women and as a health systems researcher for the state of North Carolina and international development organizations.
A nationally recognized speaker, trainer and innovations expert, Dr. Bridger has over 20 years of experience in community development and improvement.
Education
- Bachelor of International Development, School for International Training in Vermont
- Master of Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Ph.D. in Health Services Research, University of North Carolina, Charlotte
Professional Memberships and Community Involvement
- Former President of the North Carolina Health Directors Association
- Adjunct Faculty, Gillings Global School of Public Health, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Personal
Dr. Bridger was raised on a farm in Michigan. She and her husband, Chuck, have two children, Sarah and Charlie.
Departments
Executive Support
Executive Management Assistant: Amanda Reyna
Sr. Executive Secretary: Yvette Mendoza